By Jaythaleela K
MIRI, Aug 22: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) hopes that Malaysia’s ninth Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will prioritise appointing candidates from Sarawak or Sabah to a Deputy Prime Minister 2’s post, as both States have contributed much to nation-building since 1963.
“SUPP is of the opinion that another post of Deputy Prime Minister 2 should be created and this Deputy Prime Minister post shall be reserved for Sarawak and Sabah, as Sarawak and Sabah are indeed the remaining two equal partners in Malaysia,” said SUPP secretary-general Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew said in a statement today.
Appointing a Deputy Prime Minister 2 from Sarawak or Sabah would indeed be an open, sincere and genuine acknowledgement of the immense contributions by Sarawak and Sabah, he opined.
Presently, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has 18 Members of Parliament and it is therefore correct and appropriate that the Deputy Prime Minister 2 post should be filled by one of the Members of Parliament from Sarawak GPS, Ting added.
Ting disclosed SUPP has proposed two candidates for Deputy Prime Minister 2: Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof who was the Senior Minister of Works under the previous Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and GPS secretary-general Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi who was Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs to be considered.
He described both as highly experienced parliamentarians who have served as cabinet ministers for many years.
“It will be good for the new Cabinet line up to include many other ethnicities in the country especially the Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, Kadazan-Dusun, Bajau and others from the Borneo States to reflect the multiethnicity of this country,” Ting added.
He pointed out that all Malaysians expect the new government to be a clean government which respects the independence of the judiciary, practises the separation of power and continues to preserve, protect and defend the Federal Constitution. — DayakDaily
